A group of men in uniforms holding rifles - historic forts

Self-guided · County in Kansas

Historic Forts in Elk County, KS

Forts, blockhouses, batteries and stockades near you, from the frontier to the coastal defenses.

Most residents could not tell you which local buildings are on the National Register. Elk County is one of 105 counties in Kansas. The record can, and the closest listings to Elk County, KS are below.

A person and a child walking on a path between stone buildings - historic forts — Photo: Levi Meir Clancy on Unsplash

Fortress surrounded by clear turquoise water under a blue sky - historic forts — Photo: RP C O N C I E R G E on Unsplash

Long brick corridor with arched doorways and old cannons - historic forts — Photo: Mick Kirchman on Unsplash

On the record near Elk County, KS

The 12 nearest

14 listed sites on the record match historic forts within 200 miles of Elk County, KS, out of 14 listed sites of every kind within 25 miles. 5 listed sites carry Elk County as their county.

Fort Arbuckle Site88 miles from the center of Elk County · Site · Sand Springs · listed 1978National Register of Historic Places
Fort Scott Public Carnegie Library89 miles from the center of Elk County · Building · Fort Scott · listed 1987National Register of Historic Places
Fort Scott National Historic Site89 miles from the center of Elk County · District · Fort Scott · listed 1966National Register of Historic Places
Fort Davis124 miles from the center of Elk County · Site · Muskogee · listed 1971National Register of Historic Places
Fort Harker Officers' Quarters137 miles from the center of Elk County · Building · Kanopolis · listed 1974National Register of Historic Places
Fort Harker Guardhouse137 miles from the center of Elk County · Building · Kanopolis · listed 1972National Register of Historic Places
Triangle Battery and Service Company Building145 miles from the center of Elk County · Building · Kansas City · listed 2003National Register of Historic Places
Fort Reno163 miles from the center of Elk County · District · El Reno · listed 1970National Register of Historic Places
Spirit of the American Doughboy Monument--Fort Smith172 miles from the center of Elk County · Object · Fort Smith · listed 1997National Register of Historic Places
Ft. Smith Confederate Monument173 miles from the center of Elk County · Object · Ft. Smith · listed 1996National Register of Historic Places
Fort Smith US Post Office and Courthouse173 miles from the center of Elk County · Building · Fort Smith · listed 1999National Register of Historic Places
Sebastian County Courthouse--Ft. Smith City Hall173 miles from the center of Elk County · Building · Fort Smith · listed 1993National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of Elk County, KS. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

Historic Forts in Elk County, step by step

1
See every listed site of this kind in the area
2
Sort by distance and pick the closest few
3
Read the record for the year, the builder and the use
4
View from the public way and note what has changed
5
Collect the set and move on to the next county

What people in Elk County, KS ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in Elk County, KS?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

Are these buildings open to the public?

Some are, many are not. Churches, courthouses and libraries usually keep regular hours. Houses, barns and mills are often private and best seen from the road. The record for each site tells you which kind it is.

What does it mean when a site is on the National Register?

It means the property was documented and accepted as historically significant. Listing honors the site, it does not open it to visitors or stop an owner from using it.

How a visit works in Elk County

Step 1
Find the place
Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In Elk County, KS the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.
Step 2
Read the story
The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.
Step 3
Get there under your own power
Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in Elk County, KS are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.
Step 4
Collect it and come back
Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.